In this regard, socket assemblies are known in which an inner part with a free space for receiving the pinch seal and the connecting pin is rotatably arranged in an essentially cylindrical cavity of an outer housing part. The two parts have slotted openings in their outer surfaces which, when congruent with one another, allow insertion of the pinch seal and the connecting pin into the free space of the inner part from outside. The pinch seal is fixed in the free space by two opposed spring clips which rest against the surfaces of the pinch seal. The lamp is secured in the socket assembly through rotation of the inner part relative to the outer housing part, which causes the slotted openings to shift relative to one another and close. At the same time, an electrical contact is established between the connecting pin, and thus the electric circuit of the lamp, and the voltage source. Such an arrangement is described, for example, in NL 1029855 C.
The known socket assemblies are, however, disadvantageous in that it is oftentimes difficult to securely fix lamps from different manufacturers or lamps with manufacturing tolerances in the region of the pinch seal. For example, the pinch seals of lamps made by different manufacturers differ from one another. The shape of the pinch seal essentially corresponds to an “H” with short parallel struts. However, these struts vary in thickness and height depending on the manufacturer, and in some cases the parallel struts are entirely omitted. The thickness of the planar region of the pinch seal may likewise vary depending on the manufacturer. Moreover, manufacturing tolerances exist in all mentioned regions even for lamps made by one and the same manufacturer. These deviations complicate either the installation of the lamp in the socket assembly or its secure fixation therein. For example, if the distance between the spring clips is reduced or their tension is increased in order to also enable secure fixation of thinner pinch seals, there is a risk that the insertion of lamps having thicker pinch seals into the socket assembly becomes very difficult and the pinch seal might even be broken in the attempt. Conversely, if the distance between the spring clips is increased or their preload is reduced, the lamps are no longer securely fixed in the socket assembly, which may result in failure to reliably establish the electrical contact or in damage to the lamps due to looseness inside the socket assembly.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a socket assembly for receiving a lamp with a pinch seal and a connecting pin led out therethrough which avoids the disadvantages described above and also enables secure fixation of lamps having manufacturing tolerances in the region of the pinch seal.